January 20 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Fifth Ave Synagogue About 8.30 o’clock—Meyer / 150 girls—4 type, now 21 in a year. Carriage at 8” [NB 44 TS 4]. Note: Nathaniel Myers (1848-1921), corporate attorney, and President of the Hebrew Technical School for Girls [obit: NY Times, 31 Aug. 1921, p. 9].
The New York Times, p.4 ran this brief announcement:
Mark Twain at Temple Emanu-El.
January 20 Monday – The Clemenses left Riverdale, N.Y. and traveled by train to Elmira, where they were met with sleighs by Charles J. and Ida Langdon; and then on to Quarry Farm outside of town. There, Sam began a letter to daughter Clara that Livy added to on Jan. 21.
January 20 Tuesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to General McCook about Jean and Katy Leary arriving in Old Point Comfort, Va. on Jan 24.
Greeting & salutation to the ladies, & to you, upon whom be peace!
January 20 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook entry (see Jan. 19) shows he recalled “St. Joan of Arc” that he’d mailed to Harpers [NB 47 TS 4].
January 21 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “ ‘Name the greatest of all the inventors. Accident’” [NB 44 TS 4].
Livy and Clara Clemens left New York bound for Washington, where Clara would debut as a singer on Jan. 22 [Jan. 21 to A. Langdon]. Note: They returned back to New York on Jan. 22 at 3 p.m. probably right after Clara’s performance [Jan. 22 to E. Rogers].
January 21 Tuesday – At Quarry Farm, Livy added a line to Sam’s Jan. 20 to daughter Clara, that Jean was better but not well, and that she would write later in the day (not extant) [MTP].
American Publishing Co. sent a statement with this date showing $11,867.25 due to Clemens in royalties [1902 Financials file MTP].
January 21 Wednesday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote to Robert (not further identified) about a court case, unspecified.
There was a charge against me.
One witness was called.
That witness testified.
That settled it.
Counter testimony not desired.
And not asked for.
Case closed. Verdict rendered.
Isn’t it funny? Doesn’t it dazzle? Do you believe God could beat it for intelligence? Right offhand, I mean, & without calling in help?
January 22 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Be at Helmer’s, 5 p.m. & wait for Mr. Rogers / Dr. Rice’s 7.45 Carriage at 7.35” [NB 44 TS 4]. Note: Clemens and H.H. Rogers had an appointment at Osteopath George J. Helmer’s, Madison Ave. and 31st Street [Jan 21 to Rogers].
January 22 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Why be vain of your lineage? All human beings are despicable— emperors & other slaves alike. / Man measures himself by his giants” [NB 46 TS 7].
January 22 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Call on Geo de Forest Brush. / Villa il Giviello / 10 Via San Leonardo / Countess Valegoria / (See Jan. 17 / [Horiz. Line separator] / And Mrs. Roosevelt-Scovel / (Chevalier) / Villa la Terrazza / Viale Macchiavelli” [NB 47 TS 4]. Note: George de Forest Brush (1855-1941) painter; would be at Dublin, N.H. when Sam stayed there, in Oct. 1905.
January 23 Wednesday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam began a reply to Joe Twichell that he finished Jan. 24. (Twichell’s incoming not extant, yet from Sam’s text we can deduce at least some of the subject matter of Joe’s letter).
Certainly. I used to take it in my coffee, but it settled to the bottom in the form of mud, & I had to eat it [Plasmon] with a spoon; so I dropped the custom & took my 2 teaspoonfuls in cold milk after breakfast. …
January 23 Friday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam replied to Thomas Bailey Aldrich’s Jan 22.
January 23 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “Baroness Chazal / 37 via Santa Reperata / Tuesdays / & Miss Anstey (sister)” [NB 47 TS 5].
January 24 Thursday – At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam finished his Jan. 23 to Joe Twichell, confirming that Livy approved of Joe staying with them; asked for a day or two notice should he come.
January 24 Saturday – Harper’s Weekly ran an anonymous article, “More from Mark Twain about Christian Science,” p.145. Tenney: “Summarizes from the current North American Review the second installment of MT’s writing on Christian Science” [38].
Sam’s notebook: “Send John to 7.11 to bring the Count? / Col & Howells / [Horiz. Line separator] / Prof. B.E. Martin & the etchings / [Horiz. Line separator] / Corpse & box of Guns” [NB 46 TS 8].
January 24 Sunday – Edward Rimbault Dibdin wrote to Sam. “My friend William Archer visited me a few days after he called on you in Florence, a fact which he mentioned when I referred to you in connection with a subject we were discussing—the origin and early history of photographic lantern slides.” Dibdin enclosed an article by him from the Jan. 4, 1904 issue of The Amateur Photographer, “The Lantern Lecturer – His Sins and Sorrows.” He wrote he would “greatly value any hints you can give me on the subject” [MTP].
January 25 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “University Club 5th Ave & 54th St Supper & music 9 p.m.” [NB 44 TS 4].
At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote on a letter in French from H. Montheré (Nov. 6, 1900) to Chatto Windus. Montheré had requested translating rights to RI.
January 25 Saturday – In Elmira, N.Y. Sam wrote to Franklin G. Whitmore, directing him to “pay the damned assessment,” and that he would try to remember to put the $150 check in the envelope [MTP].
The New York Times, p. BR 13, “The King of Liars,” quoted from a series of interviews made by John Kendrick Bangs, “purported to be received over the telephone from Baron Munchausen,” and which included this dittie by Mark Twain:
January 25 Sunday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote two notes to Livy.
Jan. 25. / Dearest sweetheart, it is a most fine & delicate snowfall & beautiful to watch as it sifts down through the naked branches. And Blennerhasset is enjoying it—goes tearing along the high limbs like a shuttle; & carrying on most gaily. Good-morning, dearest dear heart, I love you dearly. / Y.
January 25 Monday – At the Villa Reale di Quarto near Florence Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.
Mrs. Clemens says she is not “in better health & spirits in consequence” of your not writing me; that your letters haven’t any such effect. But I tell you what! she finds these last 6 weeks in bed a pretty hard trial; she got knocked back just as she was beginning to get out-doors. But Professor Grocco says she will certainly begin to make some progress soon.
January 26 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “New York Theatre—box (?)” [NB 44 TS 4]. Note: see insert ad for New York Theatre, Broadway at 45th Street.
At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to William Oliver Fuller, Jr. (b.1856), journalist, author, lecturer, editor of the Rockland (Me.) Courier-Gazette, humorous writer for various N.Y. papers.
January 26 Monday – In Riverdale, N.Y. Sam wrote a note to Livy.
January 26 Tuesday – John R. Carpenter, executor of Mollie Clemens’ estate wrote again, this time with a copy of Mollie’s bequests to Sam, and the family, as well as a list of Ma’s things sent in May 1900 to Annie Moffett Webster, which included a “rosebud toilet seat” [MTP].
Edward St. John Fairman, in Florence, sent verses to Sam, including two to Andrew Carnegie [MTP].
January 27 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “64 W. 104th” [NB 44 TS 4].
January 27 Monday – The Clemenses had planned to return to Riverdale by this day, and in his Jan. 29 to Wood, Sam wrote he “just returned.” Given his evening talk in N.Y.C. on Jan. 28, it’s not likely he spoke on a travel day, so this is the likeliest day for their return.
Franklin G. Whitmore wrote for Sam to Mrs. A.W. Smith of Middletown, Conn. Only the envelope survives [MTP].